Ohio volleyball player Laura Hageman might as well start printing business cards with the title Mid-American Conference East Player of the Week.
The senior middle hitter received the award for the fourth consecutive week and the ninth time in her career after another big week, this time in wins against MAC opponents Miami and Ball State.
(Laura's) our leader and she's earned everything she's got
but I know she's very humble in that sense and realizes that the team working together is the only way you end up getting something like this Ohio coach Geoff Carlston said.
Averaging 5.14 kills, 2.50 digs and 2.17 blocks per game, Hageman also was named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division One National Player of the Week. Hageman is the first Bobcat to ever receive the honor and the second MAC player to do so in as many years.
Carlston said he had the pleasure of extending the news to Hageman.
I'm excited for her said Carlston. It's always fun to pass on that information onto your players. That's the best thing about Laura is that she's not going to rest. She's going to keep pushing to make herself and the team better.
Hageman and the rest of the Bobcats (12-3, 3-0 MAC) ended a 26-game losing streak to the Cardinals Sunday with a resounding 30-23, 30-27, 30-23 victory. The win put an end to Ball State's 57-game winning streak against MAC foes at home, while allowing Ohio to tie its longest winning streak ever at 10 games.
Ohio, ranked No. 33 in the ACVA/USA Today poll, will play host to Northern Illinois at 7 p.m. Friday and Central Michigan at 1 p.m. Sunday. Both games are in The Convo.
Awards pour in for freshman baseball player
Ohio freshman baseball player Jared Willis has yet to play an inning for the Bobcats, but he continues to receive accolades for his high school baseball success.
Willis, slated as an infielder for the Bobcats, is the recipient of the George W. Rulon American Legion Player of the Year award.
The award, along with a $2000 Gatorade scholarship, will be added to the already long list of honors Willis has received, including another $2000 Gatorade scholarship and a $1,000 Mid-Atlantic Region 2 Player of the Year honor.
Willis, of Logan, W.Va., recorded a .421 batting average, nine stolen bases, four home runs and 37 runs batted in during his senior year at Logan High School. He helped Logan to a Class AA sectional championship and was a top prospect in the May 2002 issue of Collegiate Baseball Magazine.
Willis is going to be a good player for us
Ohio coach Joe Carbone said. He's either going to play third base or short for us this year. He's swung the bat well and made strides and improvements in his defensive game.
Willis and the rest of the Bobcats scrimmaged Sunday against the Ontario Blue Jays, an all-star team from Canada. Ohio won 25-2 and was able to give each pitcher at least an inning of action.
I thought all the pitchers did a decent job throwing strikes
said Carbone.
Ohio will conclude fall practice Friday with its annual six-inning Green and White game. The Bobcats will hold Scouts Day and play eight innings at noon Friday. Both games are open to the public as the Bobcats split to play each other.
-Mark Shugar
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